James Hohmann of Politico wrote, “Yet here (Mary Burke) is, tied with Walker in the polls, finally getting some overdue attention from the national press — and within striking distance of delivering the biggest shock of Election 2014.”

While there is disagreement on which candidate will prevail, most observers agree that the election is going to be tight.

“I think this is going to be a close race,” said former Republican state Rep. Michelle Litjens. “Wisconsin will vote for a Republican governor and they’ll vote for President Obama, so we’re a very, very purple state.”

Litjens said that Walker is doing “all that he can” despite the sluggish economy and deserves credit for helping to create more than 100,000 jobs since taking office. She also mentioned that Wisconsin is in better shape than other states, notably Illinois, that happen to be under Democratic leadership.

She also said that labor unions have pledged “millions and millions of dollars” to remove Walker, who is “the number one person they want to take out nationally.”

Litjens predicted, however, that their attempts will fail and that Walker will be re-elected.

According to Louis Fortis, editor and publisher of the Shepherd Express in Milwaukee, the race is “pretty much a dead heat,” which is something he said nobody expected.

Fortis called Burke, a heavy favorite to defeat state Rep. Brett Hulsey, D-Madison, in Tuesday’s primary election, “the real thing.” He also touted her business experience and highlighted her focus on jobs.

He also said that Walker is not “doing everything that he can” to get more people working and ripped him for turning down federal money to build a high-speed rail line and to expand Medicaid.

“There are a number of opportunities that Scott Walker rejected that would have created jobs, so he is making himself very responsible for the number of jobs created, and he’s failing,” Fortis said.

Walker promised in 2010 that 250,000 private-sector jobs would be created by the end of his first term. From when Walker took office in January 2011 through June 2014, Wisconsin has gained about 100,313 jobs.

On Wednesday, Walker’s campaign released a new television ad that plays up job creation on his watch. The spot also criticizes Burke for saying she supported Gov. Jim Doyle’s policies “entirely,” and that Wisconsin had lost 133,000 jobs during his tenure.

Editor’s note: “The Week in Review” can be heard each Friday at 8 a.m. on the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio.

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